Glede

Glede is a Norwegian noun meaning joy, pleasure, or happiness. It derives from Old Norse gleði and is cognate with related Germanic terms that express gladness. In contemporary Norwegian, glede can describe both a momentary feeling of delight and a broader sense of well-being. It is commonly contrasted with lykke (happiness or luck) and with tilfredshet (satisfaction).

Usage: The word appears in everyday speech and in literature. Common phrases include "å føle glede" (to feel joy), "glede seg til noe" (to look forward to something), and "å spre glede" (to spread joy). The verb "å glede" means to please or delight someone, and the adjective "gledelig" can mean joyful or pleasing, used in formal or literary contexts.

Cultural and psychological context: In Norwegian culture, glede is a central concept in family life and social interaction, often tied to shared activities, celebration, and well-being. In positive psychology, joy or positive affect related to glede is studied as a short-term mood state that complements longer-term life satisfaction (lykke) and overall well-being.

Cross-linguistic note: Related terms exist in other Nordic languages with different spellings, such as glädje in Swedish and glæde in Danish, reflecting the shared Germanic roots of the concept.